Title: Clockwork Tangerine
Author: Rhys Ford
Genre: Steampunk
Length: Novella (90 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-62798-419-5
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (February 20th, 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb:The British Empire reigns supreme, and its young Queen Victoria has expanded her realm to St. Francisco, a bustling city of English lords and Chinese ghettos. St. Francisco is a jewel in the Empire’s crown and as deeply embroiled in the conflict between the Arcane and Science as its sister city, London—a very dark and dangerous battle.
Marcus Stenhill, Viscount of Westwood, stumbles upon that darkness when he encounters a pack of young bloods beating a man senseless. Westwood’s duty and honor demand he save the man, but he’s taken aback to discover the man is Robin Harris, a handsome young inventor indirectly responsible for the death of Marcus’s father.
Living in the shadows following a failed coup, Robin devotes his life to easing others’ pain, even though his creations are considered mechanical abominations of magicks and science. Branded a deviant and a murderer, Robin expects the viscount to run as far as he can—and is amazed when Marcus reaches for him instead.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4718
Review: God I love Steampunk, but this novella is not merely that. In this, world science and arcane magick exist together on two different paths. However, it’s a taboo to mix them. That is until a brilliant young engineer falls victim of greed and his creations are turned into horrible tools of destruction and mayhem.
Marcus saw his father die from one such creation, a horrible death that shattered the entire family and left a bone deep grief in his soul. He moved on with his duties as the Duke’s son, now a Viscount, and keeps his father’s teachings deep in his heart. One of the most important teachings his father left him with is that those that can help should do so no matter who is in need of it. Thus, Marcus ends one dark night helping a man who was being beaten to death by three young gents. It is like this the story starts, with Fate smirking upon the son of a man murdered by the creation of the man he rescues. Because the victim of the beating is none other than the young scientist, Robin Harris.
Now Robin as a character is fascinating. His depiction wants you drooling over and over again. His life makes your heart hurt and stutter, and the need to shelter him from the world becomes real. He has suffered and continues to suffer due to people’s greed and their taking advantage of him and his genius. But for me, the true shining character here was Marcus. This character is strong in many ways. He is of noble blood yet he is not arrogant and the fact that he continues to help Robin despite the fact that Robin killed his father by proxy, makes Marcus charming beyond restriction.
These men each have their world where they live in and these worlds are too far apart. It’s because of that, that the story gains so much value when they mesh together. In a time when a man craves the love of another man is deemed unnatural and abominable, when loving a man might end the life, as you know it, their relationship becomes even more precious.
I loved how the story was told, I loved the fact that the pair didn’t jump straight into each other’s arms, and I loved the time given to these men to come together. I admit though that as the end of the novella approached and they still hadn’t made that final step I became anxious. The anticipation ratcheted my agony up in levels that I didn’t think this little novella was capable of. I reached the point where I started muttering under my breath about when would Marcus just freaking kisses Robin for crying aloud. Yes, patience is not my strong point. When they did come together though it was splendid. I loved every sensuous line, and every emotion emerging from the text. It was a fine release of all that tension that was building and building throughout the read. Made me wish for more and even as the story concluded with the most satisfying end, the need for more didn’t relent. I just loved this couple immensely.
I also got smitten with the Duchess. Oh, God was she one awesome creature. Her “tantrum” oh dear, was fantastic, hilarious as hell. That damn porcelain dog managed to survive in the end didn’t it? She was a real character indeed.
Bottom end this was a delicious story, wholesome in every way you see it, and leaves you with a sense of the world being as it should be and a big smile on your face. The only wrong thing I find in it was the cover, because come on, you have the little crow right there, Robin with his gorgeous long black hair and pale skin, and you don’t use him. That would have been perfect. *sigh*
Strongly recommended to all fans of Steampunk!